This week is absolutely huge for new music. Today The Weeknd, Foals, JOY., Alessia Cara, Halsey and Beach House, among others, have released records meaning we're not leaving our headphones for the entire weekend. On top of that though we have a plethora of new tracks that have dropped during the week making our listening duties even more extensive. We've carved through everything that has come out this week and we think you should start with these 10 and see how you go.
Justin Bieber
What Do You Mean?
After teasing it for a lifetime Biebs finally dropped his Skrillex-assisted single today and it's a really pleasant surprise to be completely honest. It takes the dance route of Jack Ü's Where Are Ü Now but goes with more of a tropical house vibe that drips with an effortless pop melody. We belieb this one is going to do really well heading into Australian summer and might actually signal a shift in the sound of the mainstream into more of this kind of stuff.
The Weeknd
Angel
The Weeknd's drops his record Beauty Behind The Madness today off the back of the massive Can't Feel My Face. Even though this is technically his turn towards the pop world, he hasn't sold-out and the album still features plenty of "pussy", "pills" and "trills". There's plenty we could pluck from the album and put here but its pretty hard to beat the triumphant closer Angel. It's a huge sounding ballad with the boldest instrumental he's sung over yet and brings the album to a close with a giant crash.
Alessia Cara
I'm Yours
Alessia Cara's Here is so good that she probably could've just ridden on its coattails for the rest of the year but she hasn't. Instead, she's dropped an EP Four Pink Walls with four other tracks that are just as strong. I'm Yours is potentially even stronger giving us an infectious pop melody delivered through Cara's textured, smokey vocal. The lyrics are a stroke of pop brilliance too in the way she hates this guy because she's falling in love with him - "I'm mad at your for being so cute". Awwww, you guys.
The Harpoons
Ready For Your Love
The Harpoons' debut album Falling For You was one of the strongest releases of last year and now so soon after it, they've followed it with the brilliant Ready For Your Love. Making us gush once again with their loved-up lyrics, they've chosen a more stomping electronic beat this time round. They have also pushed the chorus into gospel territory with the help of fellow Aussies Habits and it sounds glorious. Total jam.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/the-harpoons/the-harpoons-ready-for-your-love[/soundcloud]
OMI
Hula Hoop
The chart rise of Jamaican artist OMI's Cheerleader is one of this years most unlikely success stories but as always with an unexpected hit, you've then got an inexplicable amount of pressure for the follow-up. Well said follow-up has arrived today in the form of Hula Hoop and he may just of pulled it off. It's basically Cheerleader part two in the way that it uses the same tropical house aesthetic but that's probably exactly what he needed to do. It's not our favourite song of the week but it's certainly satisfied our curiosity of how he was going to avoid being a one hit wonder.
World's End Press
Tall Stories
Melbourne's World's End Press knocked it out of the park with their 2013 self-titled debut and followed it up this year with the equally brilliant but more dance-orientated Spirals. Now they have unleashed Tall Stories from a forthcoming EP moving even further in the direction of the dancefloor. Tall Stories is a thumping effort from the boys combing joyous deep house vibes with woozy vocals. It's a damn smooth return that makes us real excited for the EP of the same name to drop 25th September.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/worlds-end-press/tall-stories-2[/soundcloud]
TĀLĀ & Sylas
Praise
London producer and vocalist TĀLĀ has teamed up with newcomers Sylas for this track Praise and they apparently came together through a mutual love of Boyz II Men. It's a slightly bizarre connection but it actually comes through in Praise which feels like it has the gospel, R&B flavour of a Boyz II Men track albeit distorted by dense synths and scattered beats. TĀLĀ is great at taking what could be conventional songs and turning them on their head. She did it with How To Dress Well on The One and she's done it here again.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/talaofficial/praise-featuring-sylas[/soundcloud]
Noire
Baby Blue
We were hooked immediately by Sydney trio Noire's Just Like Honey and now they've returned with something even better. Baby Blue is the new cut from them and it continues in the sonic direction of dark, lazy alt-rock. "When the lights go down and you're beside me, Well baby do ya, love me like I do," sings vocalist Jessica Mincher every so gently wrapping her voice around the honey-soaked guitars. It's rare that you get a band in its infancy that can really take their time and melt into a slow tempo but these guys just do it so well. It feels like Anna Calvi met Savages and taught them how to trade intensity for sensuality. Beautiful.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/noireband/baby-blue[/soundcloud]
Zak Abel
Say Sumthing
We gave you a banger alert on this one earlier in the week and we're going to give you it one more time just incase you missed it. Zak Abel is a British vocalist and he's teamed-up with Kaytranada on this one, together delivering certified pop-dance hit. Abel's vocals are gritty and soulful and they blend so effortlessly into the crashing beat of this one. It's kind of like a rougher, gutsier version of Disclosure and it's sure to capture the attention of radio in the UK, at least. Hopefully here too.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/zakabel/zak-abel-say-sumthin[/soundcloud]
Montaigne
Clip My Wings
Montaigne rise in the past year has been nothing short of spectacular. She's captured the attention of the triple j audience very quickly and that's because her voice is so immediately affecting. Pair that with sweeping, grandiose tracks and you've got a product that you can't help but notice straight away. Her latest Clip My Wings is just another step on her journey to stardom. It's a huge sounding track that leaves nothing at the door. From the first second it sweeps you up with its heavy-strummed guitars and skyrocketing vocals never once dipping in energy.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/montaigne-music/clip-my-wings[/soundcloud]
